Johns Hopkins Univ. to Honor DOMA Plaintiff

Two women involved in a case challenging the federal government’s recognition of same-sex marriages that went to the Supreme Court are among the people receiving honorary degrees from Johns Hopkins University at commencement next month.

The school is honoring Edith Windsor, whose lawsuit led the Supreme Court last year to strike down a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act that prevented legally married gay and lesbian couples from receiving a range of tax, health, pension and other federal benefits.

The school is also honoring Windsor’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan.

The university will also honor Pulitzer Prize-winner Taylor Branch, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, former Lockheed Martin CEO Norman Augustine, Maryland Institute College of Art president Fred Lazarus and Pamela Flaherty, the former chair of the Johns Hopkins board of trustees.

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On March 5, nearly 500 New Yorkers came together to honor 84-year-old LGBT trailblazer Edie Windsor, who was among those celebrated at Jewish Home Lifecare’s "Eight Over Eighty" gala in New York City, held at the Mandarin Oriental New York.